Watsonville officials disappointed by split RTC vote on rail plan
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—When the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) on April 1 narrowly rejected a business plan that laid out how to pay for a countywide passenger rail system, it sidelined a project that could have benefitted thousands of South County residents...
Head of local farmers market takes over Pinto Lake City Park
WATSONVILLE—A familiar face has stepped in as the new operator of Pinto Lake City Park.
Jesus Madrigal, the president of the Watsonville Farmers Market, was recently named concessionaire for the city’s share of Pinto Lake. His company’s vision for the 78-acre park—70 of which are...
Deputies exchange gunfire with man in Aptos
APTOS—Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies shot a man late Tuesday in Aptos after he allegedly fired a gun at them during a car stop, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.
Eli Burry, 40, of Soquel, is facing charges for weapons violations and violent felonies.
According to...
Pajaro man pleads no contest to child sex charges, faces 15 years
MONTEREY COUNTY—A Pajaro man has pleaded no contest to rape of a minor under 14, lewd acts with a child under 14 and assault with the intent to commit a lewd act.
Arturo Murguia Rodriguez, 21, is facing 15 years in prison when he is...
Police nab alleged jewelry store burglar
SANTA CRUZ—A man suspected of robbing a jewelry store in downtown Santa Cruz was arrested Thursday after a tipster recognized him from security footage, Santa Cruz Police Lt. Arnold Vasquez said.
Gregory Richard Burros, 34, was charged with burglary. He was booked into Santa Cruz...
Reel Work May Day Film Festival celebrates 20th year
Labor and labor-related issues continue to get center stage attention from the Reel Work May Day Film Festival as it moves into its 20th year. Thanks to a body of volunteers, the festival, already out of the gates in its 2021 season, is still...
Driscoll’s, PV Sports Foundation team up for Student-Athlete Day
National Student-Athlete Day, celebrated annually on April 6, encourages others to support the student-athletes in their lives in all of their endeavors, goals and aspirations while recognizing (and celebrating) their accomplishments.
To further celebrate their efforts, Driscoll’s and the Pajaro Valley Sports Foundation (PVSF) are...
‘Vaccine passports’ emerge as the next coronavirus divide
WASHINGTON—Cathay Pacific Airways, convinced that digital proof of coronavirus vaccination will bring about the return of safe international travel, asked its pilots and crew to try out a new mobile app that showed their vaccination status on a recent flight from Hong Kong to...
Photo: Busy weekend for Boardwalk as rides reopen
Limited rides at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk reopened April 1 following state public health guidelines. Boardwalk rides have been closed since March 2020 due to Covid-19, although they operated for a brief time in November. Ride reservations, which have been selling out daily,...
Newsom: California economy ‘fully reopening’ June 15
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced that the state is “setting our eyes on fully reopening by June 15—with commonsense measures like masking.”
Newsom made the announcement via Twitter, and reiterated the state’s plan to eventually forgo the current four-tiered, color-coded reopening system during...
Longtime Cabrillo choral director Cheryl Anderson to retire
Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began writing ‘Requiem in D Minor’ in 1791, but died at 35 before it was completed. Part of that composition,...
